Car-brake



(No M odel.)

J. LAWITZKA.

y GAR BRAKE. Np. 408,916. Patented Aug. 13, 1889.

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UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE.

J ULIUS LAWITZKA, OF PORIA, ILLINOIS.

CAR-BRAKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,916, dated August 13, 1889. Application ledApril 20, 1889. Serial No. 307,994. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JULIUs LAWITZKA, of Peoria, in the county of Peoria and State of Illinois, have invented certain Improvements in Car-Brakes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an automatic brake or stop to prevent retrograde motion of cars ascending inclined tracks-such, for example, as the tram-ears of miners.

The invention is directed particularly to the production of a brake which may be applied to cars of ordinary construction without requiring change or alteration thereof, and which shall act upon both the wheels and the rails.

In the accompanyin'g drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the rear end of a car having my improvements applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on the line as af of Figs. land 2, looking downward. Fig. lis a section on the line y y, looking downward. Fig. 5 is a section on the line .e .a

Referring to the drawings, A represents a car-body, and B one of its supporting-wheels. These parts may be constructed in any ordinary manner.

C represents an upright arm loosely suspended from the car-body in position to act against the rear face of the wheel and having at its lower end devices to grip the rail in the event of the car moving backward. The arm may be suspended by any suitable devices. As shown in the drawings, its upper end is passed through a vertical slot in a bracketplate D, boltedl rigidly to the car. This bracket-plate is opened at the rear end to permit the insertion of the arm. The arm is sustained by a pin d, and is prevented from escaping by a pin d', inserted through the rear end of the bracket across the slot. This pin d is provided, as shown in Fig. 6, with a locking-lip d and with a downwardly-turned end d3. The pin is inserted through a keyhole opening, and the weight serves to hold it in a locked position.

The forward face of the arm O is adapted i to lit the periphery of the wheel and act frictionally thereon after the manner of an ordinary brake-shoe. At its lower end the arm C is provided with two pivoted gravit-ating dogs e e', the lower ends of which lie in opposite sides of the rail E. These dogs are supported, as shown in Fig' 5, by square pivots e2, passing through and fixed rigidly to a stirrup c4, provided at the rear end with a weight e, the construction being' such that the dogs may swing rearward and upward clear of the rail, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. l.

The lower end of the arm Chas at the lower end a rearwardly-extended portion F, provided with two vertical slots f and f', which converge toward the front, and through which the lower ends of the respective dogs extend, as shown. The weighted stirrup, by turning the pivot., urges the lower ends of the dogs downward and forward, so that the forward ends, of the converging slots draw them laterally into contact with the rail on opposite sides. As the car moves forward the dogs swing to the rear and ride smoothly and easily along the rail. In the event, however, of a retrograde motion of the car, the dogs are turned by the converging slots into forcible Contact with the rail. In this manner the lower end of the arm O is locked rigidly to the truc-k, so that it serves to arrest the backward motion of the car, iirst, by its action as an abutment behind the wheel, and, second, by its frictional effect on the periphery of the wheels.

When the car is to move backward, the dogs are thrown out of engagement by turning the stirrup e4 upward, the effect of which is to carry the dogs rearward and upward clear of the rail. This elevation of the stirrup may be effected by means of a chain f2, attached thereto and leading upward to the car or by anyequivalent operating device.

Having thus described my invention, whatI claim isl. In combination with a railway-car, an arm C, jointed to the car-body, arranged to act against the rear face of the wheel, and provided at the lower end with gravitating dogs to engage the rail. Y

2. In combination with a railway-car, the stop device consisting of the standard, its lower arm provided with converging slots, and the two gravitating dogs passing through said slots on opposite sides of the rail.

IOO

In testimony whereof I hereunto set my hand, this 16th day of March, 188), in the pres- 1o ence of two attesting witnesses.

JULIUS LAW ITZKA.

Witnesses:

FRANK CAssELL, JOSEPH JEFFRIES. 

